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A woman has been identified after her body was found on the side of a road early Monday in Dearborn Heights, according to the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office. Westland resident Diedra Crawford, 46, died of multiple blunt injuries, said Ryan Bridges, spokesman for the medical examiner’s office...

A man came into to the City of Westland Police Department and implicated himself in the disposal of the female body in Dearborn Heights,” Westland Police Chief Jeff Jedrusik said in statement Tuesday. “This man gave further information of what led up to the disposal of the body along with other persons involved.”

Police said the man indicated the incident occurred at a Westland location matching the Crawford’s home address. Officers executed a search warrant at the residence and discovered evidence of an assault.

Terrence Johnson, 44, is charged with one count of first-degree murder in the death of Diedra Akins, 46, who was his live-in girlfriend. Randy Batts, 30, is also charged with first-degree murder as well as second-degree murder...

“We didn’t have a next of kin. They (Akins and Johnson) were supposed to be dating,” Mitchell said. “I noticed he had a fresh scratch on his face. He said the cat had scratched him the prior day... He had her identification and insurance card in his pocket. He had no explanation for that"...

Two other Westland men, Michael Bashlor, 34, and Joshua Hurston-Herron, 23, are charged with being accessories after the fact.

Best described an escalating dispute between Akins and Batts, who had accused Akins of stealing narcotics from him. Specifically, Batts was upset over some missing cough syrup, Best said. Akins denied taking any drugs but gave Batts $10, Best said, but the dispute continued, becoming physical. ..

Johnson placed most of the blame for Akins' death on Batts, Torolski said, but he also described tying Akins with rope and putting tape over her mouth after she was injured and bleeding.

"In his Jan. 20 statement, Johnson acknowledged that it was due to his and Batts' actions that Diedra had died," said Torolski. "Her body was kept in a closet, wrapped in a hospital-style blanket, he agreed, for at least 12 hours until they moved the body."

Michael Bashlor and Joshua Hurston-Herron, pleaded guilty to accessory after the commission of a felony. Bashlor will serve between two and nine years, while Hurston-Herron will serve one year in jail and probation.